Databases are used to store information for numerous types of applications. Examples include various industrial, commercial, technical, scientific, and educational applications. Database management systems (DBMSs) are a typical mechanism for accessing data stored in a database. DBMSs are typically configured to separate the process of storing data from accessing, manipulating, or using data stored in a database.
A database may not be able to grow indefinitely. A database administrator may desire to purge data from the database. Deleting a large amount of data may take an amount of time that is not insignificant. The database administrator may have a small maintenance window. The maintenance may need to occur in real-time while applications remain active. It may be desirable for maintenance such as deleting data to be performed efficiently.